1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns the use of an installation generally employed in the forming of glass of convex curvature and subsequently tempered (a convexing/tempering installation) for the manufacture of flat sheet glass or, in general, of glass not bent into convex shape on said installation.
2. Background of the Prior Art
It is known that, when it is desired to temper glass plates, said plates are heated to the temperature just necessary for tempering and the plates are taken out of the furnace used for heating them and subjected as rapidly as possible to the action of the coolant, which is air most of the time.
A pause or a space in the installation between exit from the furnace and the beginning of tempering would demand overheating the glass in the furnace, with such consequences as optical defects in the glass, energy losses, etc., in order for that glass finally arriving for tempering to be at a sufficient temperature.
However, for the small-scale production of tempered flat glass, it may be advantageous to be able to use the heating part and the tempering part of glass plate convexing and tempering installations, instead of installing a new flat glass tempering line or monopolizing such a line already otherwise occupied.
It is also desirable to make possible the use of units of a given convexing/tempering installation with a view to manufacturing sheet glass bent into convex shape in another installation.